A new student review of Turkey Trouble on the National Mall by Ronald Roy

moseso posted a new student review of Turkey Trouble on the National Mall by Ronald Roy. See the full review.

My overall opinion about Turkey Trouble on the National Mall is that it was an engaging page turner!  The main characters, KC and Marshal, seemed to be real to me; I could put myself in their places.  Ron Roy, the author, made me believe the characters in this book to be real, and I could easily imagine this story to be true because of the pictures.  Ron Roy’s voice was adventurous.  I really didn’t learn anything from the book, because it was fictional.  The vocabulary is age appropriate. I would encourage slower readers to get this book and not advanced readers, as a fast reader I went through this book in one night!  This book is so good I want to read it again.

A new student review of A Matter of Days

crabby posted a new student review of A Matter of Days . See the full review.

This is your classic apocalyptic story with a modern edge. Nadia’s narrative is believable, as is her situation. The pace of the story is perfect, mixing suspense and excitement with occasional lulls used to develop the characters even further. I fell in love with Nadia and Rabbit and felt like I knew them both personally by the end of the story. You’ll find yourself rooting for them to find their way home as they struggle to find where, exactly, that is. It’s a quick read, partly because it’s impossible to stop! Overall an excellent book. 

A new student review of Finnikin of the Rock

sumrsilentmusic posted a new student review of Finnikin of the Rock . See the full review.

Finnikin of the Rock is marketed as fantasy, but unlike other novels in its genre, it’s not overwhelmed by obnoxious magical details or insane action moments. It’s overflowing with good characters, nuanced world-building, and fantastic relationships.

            This novel doesn’t just have a strong female character—it has a strong, manipulative female character that is neither demonized nor worshipped. Many times when an author creates a strong female character, she’s valiant and noble. While Evanjalin is courageous, she’s also cunning. She’s not afraid to withhold information and sneak around in order to get things done. Like a normal human being, she has her flaws and her redeeming points. Even though Finnikin is the title character, Evanjalin manages to steal the spotlight every time.

            The cast of supporting characters is also just as unique. One thing that’s not very prevalent in young adult literature is the influence of adults. However, that’s not the case in this book. Refreshingly, adults have a significant role in this novel. Additionally, each character feels like a person that could potentially exist in real life because the characters are well-rounded, and each has his or her own flaws and strengths.   

            Furthermore, the plot is intricate and intriguing. While many novels make the mistake plot as a backdrop for world-building and magical powers, the plot of Finnikin was actually compelling. In fact, the plot was very applicable to real-life. Instead of being about defeating dragons, it was about the politics of ruling a country. And although it includes princesses and kings, it doesn’t glorify the job of a ruler. Part of what make Finnikin of the Rock such a remarkable novel is because it explores areas that are often neglected by the other books of the same genre. However, the world-building could be hard to take in all at once. There are several countries with bizarre names to keep track of, but that’s one of the things that make this novel amazing.

            The one downfall of this book is that it’s extremely difficult to get into. It’s one of the books where nothing gets explained in the beginning. All these names, situations, and characters are thrown at you, and you have to drown and grapple for a while until your head’s finally above the water.

            This book is absolutely wonderful, and I wish Melina Marchetta would be able to have more mainstream success with her novels. I recommend it for people who love fantasy, or for those who enjoyed Kristin Cashore’s Graceling or Tamora Pierce’s books or for people who love reading in general.    

A new student review of The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure

Tenaya posted a new student review of The Hunt for the Well Hidden Treasure . See the full review.

The book was very interesting. It's fun to solve the problems with the group of kids. Although the beginning of the book was a bit slow, by the 3rd chapter it was hard to put down! Although the book is about a group of 7th graders, I think that this book would be most enjoyed by 3rd-5th graders.

A new student review of The Lazarus Machine

scifiguy posted a new student review of The Lazarus Machine . See the full review.

This book was very exciting. I really enjoyed it and I would recommend it to nearly everyone.

A new student review of Alice Parker's Metamorphosis - Book 1 of the new adventure series for children

bamelon posted a new student review of Alice Parker's Metamorphosis - Book 1 of the new adventure series for children . See the full review.

            The story is written by a British woman and there are a lot of British slang and terms that I didn’t understand.  There’s also a lot of characters to keep track of and it can get confusing at times.  There’s not much explanation in the story.  In fact, sometimes I wondered if I had skipped pages.

            There were no characters I was particularly fond of.  Alice rarely feels any joy about anything.  She seems somewhat disassociated, but there’s no reason given for her melancholy.  It’s as if the readers are expected to just take it for granted that because she’s a teenager, she’s unhappy.

            This is a short, easy read, an okay story but nothing special or compelling.  I won’t continue reading the series.  However, I think younger kids, maybe 10-13 years old will enjoy the book.  Younger readers might not get bored with it like I did.

A new student review of Firecracker

avance posted a new student review of Firecracker . See the full review.

The problem for me with this book is that the character was not very agreeable. I didn’t really understand her motivations or actions. She has a bitter view on the world and she treats everyone poorly. Even though she does try to become a better person, and she makes strides towards it, I do not feel she changed enough for the story. The plot of the book was interesting, and the minor character were enjoyable though. Sadly this book was just not the page turner I had expected

A new student review of The Social Code

VBat posted a new student review of The Social Code . See the full review.

This geeky drama is fun and original. The plot is ripe with backstabbing fun, and leaves the reader constantly second-guessing every character. No one's loyalties are clear, and the constant surprises keep the story engaging.  

Amelia is a lovable character, and her passion for coding brings her personality to life. Her sweetness is contrasted by the extreme greed and betrayal that surrounds her, but this only serves to highlight her strong moral compass. 

Adam, while not quite as lovable as Amelia, is relatable and realistic. His aspirations are not inherently greedy, and his romantic relationship with Lisa adds a bit of romance to the thrills of Silicon Valley. It is obvious that he and his sister care about one another, and this dynamic adds depth to the story. 

The Social Code is a modern, techy take on the typical teen novel. Whereas most novels focused on college kids are all drama, this one is drama with a high pressure career environment and thrilling Silicon Valley twists. Hayes leaves just enough loose ends for her readers to anxiously await the second book in "The Start-Up" series. 

*note*  Before reading this novel, I would recommend brushing up on Silicon Valley culture. I was fortunate enough to have read a book involving incubators and investors in San Francisco recently, and my understanding of The Social Code was greatly enhanced by the background knowledge I acquired. 

A new student review of No Other Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup

avolzer posted a new student review of No Other Story by Dr. Cuthbert Soup. See the full review.

The book is narrated by a character who does not appear in the story until partway through. He addresses the reader throughout the book and makes jokes, but it seems forced. I also had trouble getting into the story. I didn’t really care about the characters for a while, which is probably partly due to me not reading the first book. It is not essential to understanding this book, but it feels like parts of the story are missing. The book does resolve itself, though. There are no loose ends or cliffhangers. Overall, it is an okay book if you want a fun little read, but it is not the kind of book I would remember or reread.

A new student review of Here Dead We Live by Andrew MacQuarrie

dancechicka posted a new student review of Here Dead We Live by Andrew MacQuarrie. See the full review.

Ok, where to begin…..this novel was solid.  Not a classic, not stupendous, not a Mark-Twain-and Jane-Austen-have-nothing-on-me kind of book.  But it was solid, nonetheless.  The good and the bad seemed to kind of balance each other out.  In some parts, in was exciting, invigorating, and refreshing.  At other parts, it was just plain dull.  Sometimes the sentences were awkward and distorted, but sometimes they flowed as a much more experienced writer had written them.  Some parts, especially the end, were powerful and raw.  Some were tired and emotionless. I liked how MacQuarrie tried a wide range of characters that could be easily connected with and understood—it seemed to make the novel move along at a better pace.  It was also very realistic and in-your-face current.  Considering that this is MacQuarrie’s debut novel, I believe it is a good solid read for anyone who is interested in military fiction or just looking for a bit of action in their novels.

“So maybe this war was a waste.  Maybe it was nothing more than a contest between a bunch of rich old men.  Maybe Stephen’s life didn’t mean anything to them.  Maybe none of their lives meant anything to them.”

I would recommend this book was ages twelve and up, for some mild swearing, some sexual references, alcohol consumption, and a plot thread about drugs that runs throughout this book.  There is also a situation where the subject of sexual orientation is debated, so if that bothers you or your child, I warn you now.  To be clear, this book does talk about faith in God and Jesus Christ, so if you are sensitive to that issue, too, you may want to refrain from reading this novel.

So, will Stephen and Ryan each find what their looking for—spiritually, emotionally, and mentally?  Or will they even get out of the war alive?  Read Here Dead We Live by A.M.H. MacQuarrie to find out!